EASTHAM — Trace elements of 1,4-Dioxane have been found in the Eastham Elementary School well, prompting the holding of a special meeting that was held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the school.

Sheila Vanderhoef, town administrator, told the selectmen at their Wednesday workshop that the amount of dioxane found did not meet the threshold the town has set for deliverance of bottled water. However, Selectman Linda Burt, who is also the elementary school custodian, said she spent the day lugging 35 gallons of bottled water to the school. She said 10 water coolers would be delivered to the school on Thursday. “We have to do it,” she said.

Vanderhoef said Jane Crowley, health agent, and Tom Sylvia, one of the town’s landfill specialists, would be at the meeting to discuss the finding. Vanderhoef said the school will probably hold another meeting in the near future, and it was expected that the public health experts from Boston University would be able to attend that meeting.

At the Feb. 11 forum on the landfill situation, one citizen wondered how many floor polishes and cleaning supplies, which have been identified as sources of 1,4-Dioxane, have been poured down the drain of the school since it was built. There was no response to that question.

The selectmen, during their workshop Wednesday, discussed the possibility of holding a special town meeting before the May 5 annual town meeting, to advance the Phase 1 municipal water plan that had been set to come before annual town meeting voters.

Vanderhoef said the earliest they could hold a special town meeting would be Monday, March 17.

Selectman Martin McDonald said he would be in favor of holding a special, and Selectman Burt agreed with him. “The value of a special is that we’re trying to take some action,” he said. “Get some result, rather than wait for town meeting. I think we should do it.”

“I do, too,” said Burt. “I think it’s a good time.”

They will have to decide soon if they are going to go this route, but as of Wednesday, they did not make a decision. They will meet again at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.

“ We are 10 weeks from town meeting,” Selectman Ami Eckman said.

“I think we have already decided what we want to do,” Selectman John Knight, board chairman, said. He pointed out they already voted to present a partial water article to the voters for $40.8 million, which will provide water to the properties with contaminated wells at the landfill, and be the backbone of a system that will provide fire coverage to 80 percent of the town.

“We’ve got to stand up and say this is what we want to do,” said Knight, noting that other ideas have been proposed that have the potential to get people to change their minds on what needs to be done first.

Page 2 of 2 - “I think John is right,” said Vanderhoef. “You really need to reaffirm your decision on what the article will look like and what it will serve.”

Eckman, who is not seeking reelection to the board of selectmen, said “I know we all would like to see the whole town get water but we could agree to say at town meeting that next year, we’ll have the rest of it on the warrant and keep putting it on. “ If phase 1, for $40.8 million passes this year, then they could seek approval for phases 2 through 6 at subsequent town meetings until the municipal water system is approved.

Eckman noted with phase 1, only one-third of the town will be able to connect to water. “Two-thirds will not be able to hook up, but they can come back and vote the rest of it in,” she said.